The first major fighting game tournaments of 2020

As we countdown to 2020, we take a look at the exciting fighting game tournaments coming up in the next couple of months. All the big names are present, with some of the titles making an appearance in multiple events like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Samurai Shodown and Street Fighter V.

The first quarter will also bring the current Dragon Ball FighterZ and Mortal Kombat 11 tournament circuits to a close. So without further ado, here’s our 2020 Q1 FGC calendar:              

Casablanca World Fighters

January 4, 2020

Casablanca, Morocco

MDJS E-sport’s Casablanca World Fighters is Morocco’s biggest and first international fighting game event. It also happens to be a qualifier event for SNK World Championship and features the following games:

• King of fighters XIV (SNK World Championship)

• Samurai Shodown

• Dragon Ball FighterZ

• King of Fighters 2002 UM Solo

• King of Fighters XIII Solo

• Street Fighter V (community tournaments)

• The King of Fighters (community tournaments)

Casablanca World Fighters will take place at Route de l’Oasis, Casablanca 20000, Morocco.

Frosty Faustings XII

January 17-18, 2020

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

Frosty Faustings is an FGC event with one of the biggest lineups of main tournament titles. The 2020 edition is no different, featuring over 20 main tournaments and 18 side tournaments. Here’s the long list of main titles:   

• Street Fighter V: Champion Edition

• Guilty Gear Xrd 2 (singles & teams)

• Under Night in Birth EXE:Late[st]

• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

• Mortal Kombat 11

• Samurai Shodown

• Tekken 7

• Dragon Ball FighterZ

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (singles & teams)

• Soulcalibur VI

• Fantasy Strike

• Kill la Kill

• BlazBlue Centralfiction

• Chicago’s Mystery Tournament

• Windjammers

• Marvel vs Capcom Infinite

• Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

• Pokken Tournament DX

• Capcom vs SNK 2

• Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike

• Super Street Fighter II Turbo

• Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire

• Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R

• Skull Girls 2nd Encore

• King of Fighters XIV

• Melty Blood: Actress Again

Frosty Faustings XII will take place at The Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois.

EVO Japan 2020

January 24-26, 2020

Chiba, Japan

EVO Japan 2020 will be the third Evolution event to take place in Japan. Scheduled to be held at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall, Tokyo, the event will feature 6 main tournaments and a series of side tournaments. The main titles are:

• Street Fighter V 

• Tekken 7

• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle 

• Samurai Shodown 

• Soulcalibur VI

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 

Unfortunately for fans and players alike, they'll have to choose to attend either EVO Japan 2020 or Genesis 7 as they both take place over the same weekend. Fortunately, only Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players have an overlap and not all the games. 

Genesis 7

January 24-26, 2020

Oakland, California, U.S.A.

Genesis 7 is the 2020 edition of the Smash Bros. tournament series held in California since 2009. The inaugural event was the biggest Super Smash Bros. Melee event up to that point. It also introduced the American FGC to Europe’s strongest player at the time, Adam "Armada" Lindgren. The games featured at this tournament are: 

• Super Smash Bros. 

• Super Smash Bros. Melee 

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Genesis 7 will hold at the Oakland Convention Center from January 24-25, while the Finals will be held at the Paramount Theatre on Sunday, the 26th.

Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour Finals

February 8, 2020

Paris, France

The Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour Finals will close out the game's 2019/2020 season. Sixteen of the world's best Dragon Ball FighterZ players will compete in France for the lion's share of the $80,000 prize pool. 

The official Bandai Namco Entertainment event will have some of the best players to grace the game in attendance. The list includes players such as the EVO 2019 champion Goichi "GO1" Kishida and his Red Bull Japan counterpart, Marwan "Wawa" Berthe. 

SNK World Championship

March 28, 2020

Tokyo, Japan

The SNK World Championship is the official tournament circuit for SNK’s main titles, ending with the final championship event on March 28, 2020. Featuring a ¥10 million ($92,143) prize poll, participants will compete in Samurai Shodown and King of Fighters XIV. 16 winners from their regional qualifier events like Casablanca World Fighters will converge in March for the big finale.

Final Kombat 2020 

March 7-8, 2020

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

Final Kombat 2020 will mark the end of the Mortal Kombat 11 tournament circuit, with the Last Chance Qualifier scheduled to hold on March 7 which will determine the final seed. The LCQ will take place at Ignite Gaming Lounge, Skokie, Illinois.

The main event will follow the next day at Park West, Chicago, Illinois. The world's top Mortal Kombat 11 players like Dominique "SonicFox" McLean, Denom "A F0xy Grampa" Jones, and Sayed "Tekken Master" Hashim Ahmed will be participating in the event. 

Brussels Challenge 2020 

March 20-22, 2020 

Brussels Belgium

Brussels Challenge 2020 will mark the start of the Capcom Pro Tour 2020 as the first premier event of the 2019/2020 season. The tournament takes place after the full release of Street Fighter V: Champion Edition and the introduction of Street Fighter IV villain, Seth.  

The premier event will take place at Rue Stroobants 51, 1140 Evere, Belgique. It is Belgium's big international fighting game tournament. Here’s the full game roster:

• Street Fighter V: Champion Edition

• Granblue Fantasy Versus

• Blazblue Cross Tag Battle

• Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late cl-r

• Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2

• Soul Calibur VI

• Tekken 7

That's all the major events we have to look forward to in the coming months. So mark your calendars people, because 2020 is bringing the action early and non-stop. There's something for everyone in the FGC to look forward to in the first quarter.